McCoy delays decision on NFL Draft

January 9, 2009by trib

Pitt star tailback LeSean McCoy, expected to announce that he is declaring himself eligible for the NFL Draft, has decided to delay his decision after meeting this afternoon with Panthers coach Dave Wannstedt.

McCoy’s parents, Ron and Daphne, and brother, LeRon, accompanied him to the meeting at Pitt’s Duratz Athletic Complex on the South Side. Afterward, LeRon McCoy said his brother was overwhelmed by the gravity of the decision and will wait until next week to make up his mind.

“We had a great meeting and coach Wannstedt put the options on the table,” said LeRon McCoy, who has spent three seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver. “LeSean is going to take some time to think about what he wants to do. It’s a very hard decision.”

Two McCoy family members told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Thursday that the 6-foot, 205-pound sophomore from Harrisburg – who spent three semesters at a prep school before enrolling at Pitt – would bypass his final two seasons of eligibility to turn professional.

LeRon McCoy said Wannstedt laid out the facts, as well as the pros and cons, of going pro but did not try to persuade the McCoys one way or the other. Wannstedt coached 16 seasons in the NFL, including head-coaching stints with the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins.

“Coach Wannstedt is very supportive of LeSean in everything he does,” LeRon McCoy said. “It’s more about what he thinks is the best option for him. LeSean wants to make sure his decision is the right one. He’s going to use the time available to do that.”

The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NFL Draft is Jan. 15.